I guess the question is what O/S and CNCjs versions are everyone running and how are their pi configured. Maybe a newer software version created an issue.
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yeah, i’ll have to look back and see. my setup was working totally fine, but then started to hang up while trying to jog around. resolved only when restarted my nomad and the pi - assuming its a buffer/usb connection issue if i had to guess.
I try to keep my pi 3b+ up to date. I only use it for controlling my Shapeoko 3 so nothing else installed. As yet no issues whatsoever with CNCjs. It has been running 24/7 with no reboots for about 3 weeks continuous now.
Currently running
CNCjs 1.9.20
node 10.16.0 (some old install instructions recommend much earlier versions which are not relevant now AFAIK)
on
Raspbian 9 (stretch)
very cool @Hooby, I think mine is on par with your setup as well.
Only difference being I shut mine down after every session.
I’m hoping it’s some dumb obvious thing, but I have yet to figure it out.
you are shutting down properly? - not just turning it off which can leave some SD memory corruption on occasion so I am told - but never yet experienced.
I have been, but it did experience one shutdown improperly (my mistake) much earlier.
Also have a pi4 w/ 2gb on order with a fresh card and may try to swap it out.
I hope you guys figure it out because I’m thinking of ordering a Pi4 for the Shapeoko and the 3D printer.
just do it! Unless you need the Pi4 for other things IMHO it is unnecessarily overpowered to run CNCjs. I would be a little concerned that the Pi4 runs hotter - with sawdust around.
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Well, I don’t want to buy something that may be underpowered in a couple of years, this is why I would go with the P4. I’m planning on using it to run the 3D printer, hopefully at the same time so it would require more cycles. I understand that it is an overkill for just the current version of CNCjs or Octoprint in the short term but having to change and reconfigure that computer is more of a pain for the $25 or so I will be saving by buying a Pi3.
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I’m using the v1 engineering image which has both octoprint and cncjs servers pre-installed. (I stop octoprint so only cncjs is running).
Using the stock usb cable and the official pi3b case; no heatsinks installed, so it does get warm, and using an anker 2 outlet power supply and a cheapie cable for power.
I have a shorter, shielded cable on the way, and will grab heatsinks and a dedicated power supply/better cable next time i pass by microcenter.
veering slightly OT, but anyone else that was considering grabbing a pi4 at the moment- be sure grab an official power supply:
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Thanks I was considering a starter kit that includes most components including the power supply enclosure, keyboard, etc. The power requirements for the pi4 are slightly higher than previous versions but I have not yet pulled the trigger. I read that Octoprint was currently not working with pi4. At the moment my old Macbook does the job so I’m not rushing.
Quick update:
- I replaced the stock 6 foot usb cable w/ a 3 foot one (triplite gold, w/ ferrite)
- i replaced my 2.4A dual port anker + garbgage micro usb power cable that probably came packed in with a vape battery with the official Raspberry Pi 2.5A powersupply.
- I added some cheapie heatsinks and
- i physically moved it to the backside of the table instead of the front of the table
it was getting late, and i didnt want to ruin a piece of stock in the event the test failed, so i ran the router sans tool and loaded a job that cncjs had previously hung up midway through on.
it worked!
Obviously I need to test some more in real world conditions (actually cutting, with vac running) but i am encouraged that i may be heading down the right path.
Also, they were sold out of Pi4s, so I ordered one online.
I did google just enough linux to break things, and if i interpreted “top” correctly, folks are correct that the 3B+ has more than enough resources to drive this stuff and the additional oomph of the 4 isn’t really necessary.
but still. we’ll give it the ole college try when it shows up because why not.
Alright, my local part store had the 1 gig of ram version of the Pi 4B instock, so I grabbed one after work. To make things interesting, instead of using a pre-built image, I wanted to see how tricky it would be for laymen to get the pi setup with the latest OS, and cncjs/node and all their dependencies up and running… thanks to Austin;='s super solid documentation, it was actually not hard at all. (I also skipped n00bs and the desktop and just used the latest buster-lite raspian iso).
long story short- it seems to work! and was not hard to install at all.
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@neilferreri - I just really started playing with CNCjs and your macros. I like it a lot!! But I do have one question - is there a way in the C3D Probe macro to do Z only? I know with the bit setter (which I have) there really isn’t much need to do Z, but sometimes I like to probe Z where the next operation is just in case the wood isn’t perfectly flat
@ctdodge
(Assuming you are placing the whole block on top of the wood and not with the lip overhanging, and referring to macro https://github.com/cncjs/CNCjs-Macros/blob/master/C3D_3axis_probe …)
If you duplicate the macro, and then change line:
%PROBE_BLOCK_Z = 22
to:
%PROBE_BLOCK_Z = 25
(due to the additional height of the probe lip)
And then delete all of the lines AFTER the line:
G0 Z3 ;lift Z 3mm
You should have a nice lil’ Z-probe Macro and should be good to go!
–Kyle
@ctdodge
CNCjs has a built in Z probe “widget”. It just does a single probe, though.
I have a precision Z probe macro somewhere. I’ll throw it up on the repo when get to a PC.
Edit:
Anyone know why this thread got locked?
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